Stop Your Food From Vanishing: Keep a Food Waste Log

The line cook has been putting an extra ladle of sauce on every pasta dish.

Or maybe your waitress does her weekly grocery shopping in your walk-in and you know nothing about it…

These mishaps are killing your business. Food is being wasted left and right, and you have no solid system to keep track of it.

Sounds like your restaurant could use a food waste log.

A waste log is one of the best ways to start taking control of your profits. (Along with knowing your inventory numbers and calculating your COGS). It helps keep you in the know as to what’s not going out the door and where cash is slipping through the cracks – or is sliding into your staff’s bags.

We want you to run a successful restaurant.

That’s why we’ve created a waste log for you to download, absolutely free. And we’ve got everything you need to know about maintaining it.

Really, the restaurant food waste statistics we found were… concerning.

And though a waste log can’t stop that waste from happening altogether, it can help curb it.

When your staff knows you’re not paying attention, they know they can get away with a lot more.

An extra shot of vodka for that attractive customer? Easy. A dropped sandwich? Tossed away without anyone knowing. Steaks slipped into coat pockets to bring home later? Everyone’s doing it.

But with a waste log around – and set processes/training in place for your employees to keep it updated – they’re going to know you’re paying attention.

It gives them the perception that they’re being monitored more closely, which will make them more careful when handling food. They’ll be more diligent. They’ll think twice before bringing food home with them.

A waste log also allows you to pinpoint many other problems that could be stunting your profits.

For example, if you’re constantly seeing spoiled peppers on your waste log, one of your chefs (or you) may be over-ordering. So, it’s time to have a chat with both your chef and your supplier to get that issue fixed.

Or maybe you’ve had a higher number of meals sent back during a dinner shift. With a waste log, you can pinpoint when food’s been sent back, and perhaps re-train the cook who’s been making the slip-up

With no waste log in place? Your kitchen will stay a free-for-all.

No, really. Your staff will just assume they can bring food home for free.

And that’s definitely not part of your benefits package.

When to Use a Food Waste Log

There are a lot of different instances where a waste log could come in handy, such as:

Leftover food at the end of the night. This is referring to various hot or cold items that can’t be used the next day, like French fries.

Spilled or dropped items

Family Meals

Staff training and menu tastings. It’s helping your staff better understand your menu, but you’re not making money on it. So it needs to be noted.

Kitchen mistakes. Burnt food. Overcooked food.

Refire/Remakes.

Leftovers from an event or banquet

What to Do With Your Food Waste Log

First of all, you should actually use it.

You think we’re kidding, but it’s crazy how many restaurants simply ignore it.

Danny Barry

As Orderly's Content Marketing Manager, Danny is always in the weeds of the restaurant business. He's having conversations. He's scouring the internet for research. He's writing until his fingers start to hurt. And it's all to help you run a smarter restaurant. When he's not writing about restaurants, Danny can be found eating at restaurants. Or, you may find him cheering on his beloved Miami Hurricanes.